The Profit: A Lack of Passion Sinks Family Business

70% of second generation business fail. Why? Because the children who inherit the businesses often lack the passion and skills to keep it going. Marcus Lemonis found that out first hand when he visited a Pasadena flower shop in this week's episode of The Profit.

When Jacob Maarse opened his florist shop in the 1950's, he poured his heart and soul into the business making it one of the most successful shops in all of Pasadena. He supplied flowers for inaugurations, celebrity galas and the famous Rose Bowl Parade. But now, Jacob is gone and under his son Hank's leadership the business has accumulated $300,000 in debt and is losing money every year.

Enter entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis with a deal. He'll put $100,000 into the business in return for 25% of the profits going forward. In order to seal the deal though, Hank has to allow Marcus to run the business for a week.

Hank is reluctant but knowing that his mother is now spending her life savings to keep the company a float, he has no choice but to agree. They seal the deal with a handshake - but it's the start of nothing but trouble.

Right away Marcus spots several ways to make the flower shop more shopable. He removes the clutter, creates a clearance section in the back to reduce the inventory (some of which has been in the store for five years) and makes it easy for the customers to see the floral designers - the real show stoppers of the shop.

Marcus also installs an inventory control system, new lighting, security cameras, GPS systems in the delivery vans, repaints the walls, lays new tiles on the floor and shows Hank how to save money on quality flowers.

The changes are a nice boost for the workers and the customers but there's a bigger problem - Hank. And as Marcus says, "people can be the hardest thing to fix."

Hank's idea of leadership is to let everyone struggle through the day. The driver's deliver flowers in un-air conditioned vans with old school maps to find their way. The warehouse workers track inventory by hand in a notebook. The store's general manager Marina doesn't know what things cost or how much money they're making and she allows the workers to wander in late.

Marcus demotes her to retail manager but her lack of skills aren't really her fault. It all trickles down from Hank who is sleep walking through the day.

Hank defends his behavior by saying he's not comfortable with confrontations. The truth is, Hank didn't choose this business, he inherited it and the stress of living up to his father's memory has caused him to shut down.

Running a small business is hard. When you lack the passion, it's impossible so Marcus pushes hard to see if there's even a spark left in Hank. But as the shop returns to its former glory, the old employees who started under Jacob Maarse are excited and inspired. Even Marina, who was demoted and had every right to be upset, put her anger aside in order to save the business.

Reopening day was a huge success. Sales increased. Customers loved the new look of the store and employee morale was at an all time high.

But Hank was on his way home. He told Marcus that he figured the day was almost over, so why not?

Why not? "A successful business owner shows up early and leaves last," says Marcus. And to run out on reopening day just proves that Hank isn't interested in being a leader.

On most make-over shows, the episode would end with Hank seeing the error of his ways. He apologizes and the company thrives. Not on The Profit. In what has to be one of the crazier moments in biz make-over history, Hank tells Marcus that he's no longer interested in the partnership deal because Marcus didn't make good on his promises.

Even though we heard Hank acknowledge the $150,000 spent on improvements earlier in the show, he claims Marcus didn't spend more than a few thousand on lights and "graffiti" on the wall. Then he claims that Marcus promised a 200% increase in sales in one week. No one would make such an insane claim. Still Hank used that as grounds for canceling their contract.

In the end, Marcus left without a partnership agreement or his $150,000. He says he plans to take legal action but he better hurry. With the way Hank is handling the shop and his employees, Jacob Maarse Florist will be bankrupt by the end of the year.

What Do You Think?

What do you do when your passion for your job starts to fade? Are their ways to get it back or is it best to move on? Leave your answers in the comment section below.

64 Comments

64
Marina
06 Jul

Hank is a LOW LIFE . He is a cocaine addict and everyone who works for him knows this. The people he hires are not professional and their customer service sucks. I have been to the store many times only to get ideas for arrangements and his workers told me I can't walk in the store to browse if I don't shop and spend at least fifty dollars! Lol I never went back again. My guess is they will be bankrupt soon!

63
Sammy
28 Jun

Hank Maarse is an unethical cheater, a horrible leader or business owner, not to mention a punk with no balls. He's pathetic. What a sissy! Marcus is a great guy and obviously a genius at business. Even though Marcus didn't maintain 25% ownership in the business thanks to Hank's complete lack of character or decency, the fact is Marcus still made changes and improvements to the business that Hank NEVER would have done or even had the slightest clue how to do. And frankly those changes from Marcus saved the business. Lucky you Hank, you pathetic loser!

62
yogy
27 Jun

What the hell - who in their right mind would turn down this sweet deal? These ops only come along once in a life time what a missed op. I would have stuck with Mr. Marcus for a better future. We should pray that Hank sees the errors of his ways and changes. He's not a loser, just lost.

61
Marcus Clenney
26 Jun

Marcus Lemonis just announced on Twitter that he got his money back from the mom. I just cannot believe I actually saw that behavior in a 49-year-old adult. So basically he grew up a rich kid, lived his adult as an entitled know-nothing, never really matured at all beyond about the age of 14..... I just couldn't believe it. Their Facebook page gets riddled with negative comments over, and over, and over. I wish or hope that the mom tells Hank to go home, don't come back to the shop ever again, and she hires a general manager to run everything.

60
Bernard Gilliam
26 Jun

I really don't have much to say that hasn't been said already. I hope the mother sees her son (Hank) for what he is and does something about it. He's a loser and a punk, and he will eventually cost about 30 people their jobs.
Markus is awesome!

The show was re-broadcast tonight and since I live in the L.A. area, I will make sure I do not order from them and that my friends know about the owner as well.
What a shame for the mother, who enjoyed success with her husband and utter failure with her son, who is not only a poor businessman but an unethical liar.

56
Kraig P.
30 Apr

I've worked with several business where the second generation takes over. I all cases the business was left to the kids in a positive and healthy cash flow position. In almost all cases I've noticed the children feel entitled and don't understand or care the amount of work and hours the parents put into the business. ..my observation goes as follows
THE FIRST GENERATION BUILDS IT. THE SECOND GENERATION KILLS IT.

55
Robert
30 Apr

Hank is a "momas boy" and Marcus was right to call him a punk. I hope Hanks mother saw this episode to see what a jerk her son really is.

54
Kelly Smith
26 Apr

O my GOD. Hank is such a ittle bitch. How embarrassing.

53
paintingrl
25 Apr

Hank is a total loser. Marcus is awesome, he has vision and integrity. I hope he did get his money back. I love the show!

52
Jacob Jones
22 Apr

I sure hope that Marcus gets his money back. As he said going in he knew people were the hardest to 'fix' in business so he should have not agreed to a hand shake deal. Hank is taking the business down along with jobs and careers of many of his staff.

51
Mike
21 Apr

Hank, snort another line and then call your mama. You are on your way out, so put your head between your legs and kiss your A-- good bye! What are you thinking, Marcus was about to turn this around and make everyone a lot of money, but you just cost your mom, your dead father and 33 employees and yourself their lively hood. What a PUNK!

50
Donna
26 Dec

Ashes not sparks fall from the flame of founder of this family business. Hank has no spark at all! The dedicated employees should go into business with other experienced professionals and Marcus for job security. Hank is just looking for a payday to sell the business. I'm sure Hank's father knew Hank was a loser but it appears he did not have other children to help maintain the business God bless his Mom for trying to believe in Hank but he is not his Dad. Hank used Marcus to prepare the business for sale in my opinion. Buy it Marcus and put Hank out to pasture.

49
Donna
26 Dec

Ashes not sparks fall from the flame of founder of this family business. Hank has no spark at all! The dedicated employees should go into business with other experienced professionals and Marcus for job security. Hank is just looking for a payday to sell the business. I'm sure Hank's father knew Hank was a loser but it appears he did not have other children to help maintain the business God bless his Mom for trying to believe in Hank but he is not his Dad. Hank used Marcus to prepare the business for sale in my opinion. Buy it Marcus and put Hank out to pasture.

48
Beagle
04 Dec

When a business is in such dire need of help, tough love is always the best medicine. Marina took a demotion but worked through it and earned trust and proved she belonged. Hank intentionally was disruptive so he could renege on the deal and steal 150K in upgrades on his shop. He knew what he was doing. He had no intention of honoring the deal.
Hank is no different than a lot of business owners I have dealt with. That is why it is so important to get contracts and deals in writing. Specifically because of people like Hank who will screw someone just because they can.
If I had a flower shop, I would hire Marina out from under him and watch his company go down the toilet. Too bad people like him exist, but they do.

47
gino
03 Dec

Marcus must have suspected that things would go sideways. I felt something was wrong with Hank when they made the deal. He seemed untrustworthy, and i don't have a fraction of Marcus experience.

46
Ben jammin
02 Dec

Penis. That is all.

45
Lance
21 Oct

2 comments. Hank is a punk and Marcus is a class act. Keep up the good work Marcus.

44
Jt
20 Oct

Reguardless if it wasn't written down, THE ENTIRE THING IS ON CAMERA/TELEVISION. Marcus I'm sure has one of the best lawyers there is.. I'm
Sure he'll get his money back. And to Chris it DEFINITELY looks like he does coke

43
Juan De La Cruz
20 Oct

Marcus is a multi-millionaire and must know a lot more about Law than I do. Only question is : Handshakes may only be good up to a certain amount. When a contract involves something like $100,000, is there not a law that requires the Contract to be in writing and also registered with a Notary to be acceptable in court ?

42
Linda
20 Oct

Can't believe Hank is such an ASS. He is definitely a liar, cheat and a scammer. Marcus put up the cash and used his expertise to make his business a success. It only takes one idiot to to take his family business down big time.

41
anne
28 Sep

I wish he could spend just a couple days at my flower business, just to share knowledge after 20+ years I'm burned out. Show me how to find workers who can work, not have a felony record an could pass a drug test.
Knowledge , I am trained I have knowledge what can I do better,

40
Stanley
23 Sep

Yes, Marcus is covered. Some old school business technechs, such as a hand shake still does take place in this world. If you are a scum bag, go ahead and see we're it gets you. When you try to screw an investor, take the cash and run. I'm sure more then a lien has been placed for $100,000.00 +. I'm sure that it was a felony and Mr. Flower shop man and/or mom will spend a little time in jail, bail out yes spend a life time to pay back yes... Follow their story you will see. It may take years but it will happen...

39
Chris Rocque
22 Sep

I thought that this was a very revealing episode. It was relatively obvious that Hank lacked the passion, the leadership,and the business skills to run the family flower operation,but the real insight for me was the exposure of his lack of character. It is a common theme in the presentation of " The Profit " that a key element of business success is the critical value of a person's word. Marcus is far too shrew to be out maneuvered by a clod like Hank. It is my thought that Marcus purposely exposed himself to a sizable business risk as a test to reveal who Hank really is as a person. The true failure here is not the business, but the parents inability to raise a man and to instill in their son a sense of responsibility,fair play, and self respect. How this sad sack can live with himself after cheap shoting a man who so clearly laid out the path to financial success for him is the most pathetic message that is left behind for us to digest. Hank is more than as a business failure; he is a complete disaster as a human being. It seems that he is doomed to live a life of unfullfillment and unhappiness as Hank knows all too well what he is.

38
Nick
22 Sep

Btw Charlie you don't need any form off evidence on paper to put a Lein on someone's property its acually a very simple procees.

37
charlie
11 Sep

Marcus is smart guy, BUT I can't help but feel that he knows exactly what he is dealing with and what will happen BUT goes ahead with it anyway since it makes for GOOD TELEVISION and DRAMA. Are we to believe that smart Marcus does a deal on a hand shake ?? Nothing is documented ?? Give me a break !!!! And then he says he's going to put a lien on the property with no contractual arrangement ?? IS he going to use the Video tape as evidence ?? Maybe.

36
Dan Swan
14 Aug

Hank is a coward, thief, and liar. You lost my business!
Marina is a hottie! Find work elsewhere babe you deserve better.

35
sw
12 Aug

They deserve every loss they're gonna suffer. Hope the building has equity! I also
wonder if the bank knew about the loan from mom before granting $100,000 loan?
I bet he's a criminal. The mom also seemed to support the son. This is the other side of
the banking crisis.

34
Ian
05 Aug

Best lines in the episode:
"Hank you know what? You're a punk"
"Hank you better call your mama, I want my money back"
"Hank, are you 49 or 14?"

33
Pete New York
02 Aug

You can't teach someone to be a passionate leader. Either you are passionate or you are not. The technical part of the business can be installed however if the business leader could care less about the business and the employees winning and being successful then the business will fail. Sorry the business will have a closed sign shortly.

32
Michele
02 Aug

I hope Marcus gets every dime back and more.

31
Justin N
02 Aug

Hank is a big fat bum! I can't believe how he lied to Marcus by making all those false accusations. We have everything on tape buddy! He is going to go down in a hurry with all that debt. F*** Hank!

30
Anonymous
01 Aug

Though this post was started a year ago, I just watched the episode in re-runs and was stunned at the fraudulent behavior of Hank. He was an entitled petulant fraud that shouldn't be running anything, let alone a marquis business that provided for floats of, arguably, the most prominent parade in the country. His mother's dependency, and therefore enabling, is probably even worse. They should both be ashamed and fined.

29
JSCHULTZ
01 Aug

It was painful to watch Hank display that level of immaturity at 49 years old. Almost unbelievable. Guy gets handed a multi million dollar business and just squander it. Sad.

28
Grant
29 Jun

I love this show and recommend it to anyone- especially teachers. If we had more people running our country more efficiently, we would not be in the situation we are in. Hank was completely dishonest with Marcus- what completely disrespectful person to Marcus, but mostly to his employees and their families. He is responsible for their work environment and the fact that his business will only shrink and not expand. They will probably all lose their jobs because of his utter lack of leadership and disregard for anyone, including himself. There are few things worse than wasted potential- Hank has wasted his. It's too bad we can't trade him for an immigrant who is willing to work hard, be respectful and self aware. What an a-hole.

27
Buckeye163
13 Mar

I just watched the show the other night and I couldn't believe how Hank treated Marcus. I hope that the word gets out about the "unethical business practices" that the owner uses and I deeply hope that Marcus not only gets his money back but he also needs to charge Jacob Maarse for his time as a consult. I hope Marcus takes them to the cleaners. I really want to know how this all turns out.

26
Mike Esquivel
04 Sep

As a business owner I learned a long time ago,as the owner you are the first one to get there and last last one to leave and the last to get pay!Hank is no business owner, has no clue how to run that business ,it was served to him on a silver platter.He should man up and make his father proud!!!

25
Dave Weatherby
03 Sep

Would love to know what happened and if he gave the money back. Also what consequences happened due to the cop out of the owner. Did the Law intervene or legal action made? Will the show have a follow-up on this?

24
Brian
02 Sep

Hank Maarse is a low class jerk. I think Marcus did his best and he is entitled to his money back or the contract. However, I now hope the Jacob Maarse store goes out of business and I would tell my friends in Pasedena to start a petition to not use Jacob Maarse for the Rose Bowl.

23
Richard Feasel
02 Sep

I have been in the hotel hospitality during my career, having worked for major full service hotel chains, Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton and Helmsley. Hank has not passion and did react as a small boy not a business leader. He will eventually loose the business and his Mother's money. He should have been man enough to realize his situation and work with Marcus to hire a confident manager to run the business. I lived in Beveraly Hill in the 70's and 80's and met his Father who was old school and active in his store.

22
ListentoME
29 Aug

I would open a new store and hire Marina to run it. In 3 months, Hank would be selling Jacob Maarse to me.

21
Princess Mac Grij
19 Aug

Marcus is such

an amazing, talented all best character of a successful businessman. Hank on the other hand is such a dumb, childish, and no integrity. All I heard from him most of the time " I do not know". Marcus was so right Hank does not even want to be there, not even trying to save his father's legacy. There is no gratefulness whatsoever.

20
Mark Neils
19 Aug

I don't know Marcus. I knew Jacob Maarse well. He was from the Netherlands. My mother took me to his first second and third (present) shop as a child. Jacob was close to my wife's family (they are Dutch). He worked from first light buying flowers by hand in the flower mart, to late at night growing and harvesting some of his own flowers. he was driven. He was also often at the shop, greeted everyone, and everyone felt he was their friend and he liked them. Jacob didn't handle the books, his wife Clara, did that part of the business.

On Valentines Day I always went and bought my wife a bunch of tulips, one bunch for every year we were married. On valentines day in the shop there was every kind of rose and tulip imaginable in bins on the showroom, everyone from the poorest person in town to the richest could find something WONDERFUL to buy at Jacob Maarse.

The Valentines Day after Jacob died I walked into the shop. Instead of the normal crowd of people, congestion, and activity, It was empty. There were no bins of roses, no bins of tulips. I asked where they were. Henk himself told me that kind of Sales were not "worth the trouble". He offered to sell me an ugly arrangement that didn't have any of the genius of his fathers design in it and looked like a badly organized clump for $100. I said "No, I want the choice of fantastic Tulips you once had." He waived me off with contempt. I have never returned. My Dutch relatives have each gone and been in some way rebuffed. We loved Jacob. We celebrated him and his success. Hopefully the kid will get his shit together before he destroys all of what his father built and left him.

19
John Bishop
17 Aug

I have had a somewhat wild career in the financial industry and have worked in a variety of proprietary trading firms owned by either family or a small number of partners. There is a strong tendency for even first generation owners to be satisfied with what they have created and lose their drive to improve (Good is the Enemy of Great). What happens next is the business becomes a toy to them that they are happy with as long as it provides a good income (for them).

In Hank's case, he simply wants to be "in charge" with no idea of what that means in terms of running a business or leading people. This episode was actually painful for me to watch as I have experienced employment situations working for people with similar 'abilities'.

I now work for myself and thank God every day that I no longer have to compete in the corporate arena. That being said, if Marcus offered me a job where I could learn from him, I'd probably take it in a heartbeat!

One of the thoughts that really stood out for me while watching the Flower Shop episode was how DUMB Hank is - to say what he said all the while KNOWING that all was recorded takes a special breed of foolish.

18
marie
16 Aug

Wow what a show! Reality at its best...That guy Hank is a spoiled brat that has never done anything on his own-everything has been handed to him(he may be a only child).He is going to drain his soon to be POOR mother dry.You could tell he had a gambling problem or some kind of money spending problem when the mother gave him that look when they talked about handling money...I think hank was pissed he didn't get to go out and just waste the money on himself! On top of that i think his mental age is 15 and has no capability of running any kind of business. I noticed his behavior and lack of facial expressions-and i think he could really be autistic.

I hope the mother hires a manager that can do the books and keep up with inventory.If the family does that- then Hank can sit on his ass and just collects checks like he is already use to doing.

This family is blessed with a money making business and doesn't even care or realize it!

17
Phil
13 Aug

I loved the show. This guy Hank is a zero. I would like to know how it all ends. Did they pay back the 150k?

16
Gina
12 Aug

I read on facebook the Maarse Family paid back the $150k. Looks like Mommy came to the rescue. I feel sorry for the employees, they were starting to feel energized only to be deflated by Hank's hurt feelings and immature behavior. I wish the employees much success and would not want them to lose there jobs because of the owner's behavior.

15
Javier
12 Aug

Hank, should really be worried about those companies he has accounts with after this show. I bet they will be lighting up his phones to get what he owes them and or wondering if he is going to stiff them on their bill too! What a putz!

14
Cam
12 Aug

My grandfather, a successful businessman himself, had a favorite saying "Every third generation ends up in overalls." That's what you've got going on here. Nobody in their right mind would hire a milquetoast like Hank to run this business. Mommie Dearest should run him out of management and hire a real manager....hey give Marina a shot! I too want to find out if Marcus got his money back.

13
Walt.
12 Aug

What a jerk. Aside from immediate improvements to his failing business Hank could have gotten a lot of good exposure from a feel-good story about a business turnaround. He basically was looking at what should have been a nice one hour commercial for his business. Instead he shows he's a greedy ungrateful pig. No... 25% of the profits isn't too much. Hank would get to keep 75% of something instead of 100% of losses. I expect those potential profits will disappear. Nobody likes ingrates.

12
Cahow
11 Aug

I'd never heard of "The Profit" nor Marcus Lemonis; I simply stumbled upon the show while flipping channels. WOW! I was so sold on this show that I DVR'd a repeat episode (it was the last 10 minutes I initially caught) and have rewatched it twice.

Patrick: Boo-Hoo! I guess you've never watched a SINGLE business take-over show before from Hell's Kitchen to Tabitha's Salon Take-over. These shows are shot in 7 days. The owner who asks for the professional help is FULLY AWARE via talking to company lawyer's and producers, what is involved. The whiny widdle bitca babies like Hank want the $$$$ (as mommy dearest keeps providing) but don't want to do the hard work.

I was born and raised in the "Green Industry"--my Grandparents raised wholesale annuals & perennials for Mpls. shops. I'm 60 and have owned three Green businesses since 18 y.o. through present: a custom flower business; a plant rental company and lastly, my landscape firm the past 23 years. I've got 4 degrees in the Green Industry and done 6 years of unpaid internships, which was required for graduation.

Since 1970, only ONE of the nurseries/flower shops I worked for are still in business! 99% of them were run by Hank's...right into the ground. Ol' Granpa Whatnot started the businesses back in the late 1800's or early 1900's, turned raising onions and celery for the urban markets into a multi-million dollar business which morphed into a floral/nursery, which the 2nd or 3rd Gen pissed away through ho's, gambling and drugs. I remember interning at florists that still had their back rooms filled with the wrought iron wedding arches/urns from the Roaring 20's. I worked for florists that used to use "Cooler Clean-Out" (meaning the oldest and deadest flowers) for funeral arrangements because "the dead don't complain". No, seriously...that happened! I remember trying to suggest ways to improve sales and business and the recalcitrant owners would call me an "Uppity Know It All" and then would use my intership to scrub moss off of greenhouse benches and the flower coolers. NONE of those businesses made it to the year 1990; most went out of business in the '70's.

Cynthia, the recapper, nailed it when she wrote "The truth is, Hank didn't choose this business, he inherited it and the stress of living up to his father's memory has caused him to shut down." Plus, he's a whiny punk-arse Mama's boy who wants to eat his sammie in his office and go home early to what?

I sure hope they do updates on the businesses like Tabitha did with her salons. Of course, we can always google a business in the future to find out when they went belly-up. If I were Hank's Mama, I'd give the business to Marina and put Hank back to bed, in his crib.

11
Henry
11 Aug

Great show, wild finish. Marcus is one cool cucumber. He deserves a lot of credit for keeping his cool when Hank reneged on the deal. Not only did Hank blow his opportunity to partner with Marcus in a very profitable business. But I would expect his disgraceful, unprofessional performance on the show will actually cause the business's decline to accelerate. I would never buy from Maarse now. Much of the florist business for a shop like Maarse is commercial. Many of those buyers will see the show and have the same reaction. Maarse can't afford to lose customers like that.

The show's finish was so quick that I'm not sure I understood Mom's reaction. When Marcus asked in the beginning about the handshake and whether the Maarses would screw him, Mom said "we're not that way". Sure seems like they are that way. Maybe after Mom sees the show she'll realize how awful they come across. If she really cares about her husband's legacy she'll realize that Hank is destroying it. Marcus is giving him a way out with the "heart's not in it" lack of passion excuse. The truth is that Hank is weak and lacks the character to run a business like that. Hopefully Mom will see that and honor the deal with Marcus himself. Together they should fire Hank, promote Marina, and let Mom continue to support Hank on her own.

10
Derk D
11 Aug

It's quite likely the business will continue to hemorrhage money for the next one or two years until Hank's mom runs out of money and the business declares bankruptcy.

I want to echo all the support for Marcus here by adding that we should also recognize all the intangible value he brought to the business during the short week: he introduced new systems and processes into the business which, if followed (and I doubt they will be), could put the business on track to profitability. The inventory system, the GPS, the in-store cameras, and the complete store redesign are just the *tangible* ways in which he added value.

Hank has shown that he has no leadership skills. Worse, he is a fraud who will commit himself to a deal only to easily renege on it. Luckily for Marcus, all of their negotiations were filmed on camera and Hank, by his own admission, knows that Marcus put $150,000 of his money into the business. The trouble is that it's not just Hank who pays for his actions; it's the entire business.

9
Frank B
10 Aug

As a small business owner who has to practice tough love on occasion I can relate to Marcus' style. Kowtowing to an employee's poor performance and enabling their deficiencies as Patrick S. suggested may provide a temporary "feel good" emotion but long term is detrimental to them and to the business. Marina is proof that sometimes it takes heat to remove the impurities. Unfortunately she is somewhat of an anomaly in the work place in America. Most workers when put in that position would whine and attempt to cause discord behind the scenes rather than pony up the way she did. A business owner will be very fortunate to hire her when Jacob Maarse goes under. As long as Hank the weenie "runs" that biz, it's doomed. I had to take a shower after watching that guy. (BTW: I think Marcus insulted most 14 year olds out there with his comment.)

8
J Rob
10 Aug

I agree with Anthony. Need a follow up. Hank is a spoiled brat. In one week expecting profits. Come on. I think Marcus hit the nail on the head in the episode we he said to Hank, "I don't think you want t do this". I think Hank lived a comfortable life where dad took care of all of the decisions. Once he passed, rest his soul, Hank hasn't wanted the responsibility. He should sell the business and find something else, instead of dragging the employees down and eventually claiming BK.

7
Mr. Tran
10 Aug

After watching the episode, Hank was acting like a child and a cheat. Hank made a deal and then disclaim that Marcus pour a lot of money to renovating and improving the whole place and he thinks sales will increase 200% in a very short period of time. Like Anthony mention, hopefully there's a follow-up on this if Marcus will take legal action or something.

To the questions from the "What do you think?" section.

If my passion for my jobs starts to fade away, I'll start rethinking of what I'm doing and then start talking to family, friends, and co-workers about it.

I guess people is the hardest things to fix.

6
Al Gallagher
10 Aug

Patrick needs to rewatch the episode. After the changes that Marcus made and the new "Grand Opening" occurred, several of the employees commented on how much they liked the changes and how they felt a new enthusiasm for the business. This included the general manager who was demoted early on. Rather than feel sorry for herself, she carried on in a new role for which she was better suited and became a success in her own right. When Marcus complimented her on the fine job she was doing you could see the pride she was taking in her accomplishments.

The only person who did not see the value in the changes that were made was Hank. Until his mommy quits wet-nursing him through life, he'll always be a loser. Unfortunately, he's going to drag the employees down with him.

5
Rob Leder
09 Aug

Turning around floundering family businesses will obviously involve partnering with people who possess little in the way of business acumen. But good God, Marcus, you have to draw the line somewhere. At least invest in owner-operators who show some measure of character and potential. After a few minutes of conversation with this aimless middle-aged milksop who sponges off his mommy and can barely string together a coherent sentence, I would not have been willing to hire him as a dishwasher.

4
Andrea
09 Aug

The editing really make Hank seem like a punk. I don't think Marcus was an ass at all. He called it like it is in a non "Hells Kitchen" type of way. He did compliment the retail manager after she proved to him to be a team player. Hank was a 14 year old who didn't have the passion, but the pressure to keep the business afloat without the knowledge. I do want to know how the business is doing!

3
karen
08 Aug

I have met both Hank Maarse and Marcus Lemonis in different venues. Here are my thoughts after viewing the episode. Pasadena is a very unique community where family heritage is valued and tradition is king. There are plenty of businesses like this in Pasadena. They are a dying breed for obvious reasons. Marcus Lemonis is a hard driving in your face, the truth will set you free kind of business man. What you have here is a culture clash and a failure to communicate. Marcus needs to learn to finesse the situation and Hank needs to learn to step up. I think if Marcus had given Hank some room to "save face" then the relationship might have taken a different turn. Unfortunately for Jacob Maarse the episode is going to create some ill will. Hopefully, the stunning work this florist creates can help redeem the business. Its really a shame how things worked out.

2
Patrick S
08 Aug

Marcus made some legitimate improvements to the business by improving the store appearance and placement of the merchandise. He also made some legitimate insights into their problems with profit margin and delivery process. However, he was a real jerk and mistreated employees during his week as boss. He made the general manager cry and felt he needed to slap her in the face by "demoting" her on the first day. I guess he feels that people will appreciate what he does once the money starts pouring in, and at the end of the show I felt that's what he was all about, money. He seemed to crush the soul of that business and Hank by streamlining everything and treating everyone like idiots. And I thought 25% of the profit was a little steep, like he was looking to take advantage of a struggling business that did over $1 million dollars a year in flower sales. Hank was clearly upset by Marcus' treatment and reacted irrationally. Though Hank seems satisfied to muddle along and run the business into the ground. If Hank can't embrace the changes that Marcus initiated he should give Marcus his money back, and should probably step down as the head of the business. Marcus should work on his people skills and get off his high horse made out of money and learn to relate to regular people.

1
Anthony Pinzone
08 Aug

It's pathetic! Marcus did such a good job on that flower shop, even pulling in record sales for the day on their grand reopening. He's right, Hank is a punk who will never succeed in life.

You guys should definitely do a follow up to see if Marcus gets his money back, or at least mention it at the beginning of a future episode. Way to leave the crowd hanging!